The issue is not that he left, it's why he left. At a company like Microsoft if your boss says "Do this" you have people do it. This is both a good thing and a bad thing - it keeps people focused and priorities straight but it can stifle creativity.

With Linux, because everyone is equal and "leaders" aren't nearly as formal (are they signing your paychecks? how much do you rely on them and vice versa? etc) you don't get that kind of structure. So you get everyone getting to say "here's this idea, listen up" but no one gets to say "Bad idea, forget it and move on."